come_sailaway | They say an end can be a start

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They say an end can be a start

Who: Klaus Hargreeves & you
What: Telekinesis hijinks
When: The last two weeks of January
Where: Library, Windjammer, and the pool (and wherever you want tbh)
Warnings: Definite references to drug/alcohol abuse, withdrawal stuff, depression, Klaus' entire life possibly.
Notes: Are you friends with Klaus? Please assume you got a text about their sobriety. Ilu. Thank you.

1. Library

It’s been…a time recently. Klaus has been doing his best to avoid any establishments with drinking. It’s kind of deprived him of Disney movies and…well…any movies, but it’s fine. He’s gotten used to the idea that things are sort of out of reach. Sure, there’s been a lot of weird stuff happening that he can’t explain recently, but that’s gotta be like…ship stuff. Like a whole piano came to life and tried to eat people. Why wouldn’t a bunch of papers start flailing around in a weird pattern? Sure, he was feeling a little frazzled, a little frustrated after having dropped something because his hands were shaking too bad for him to hold it, but…maybe the papers were just mad?

What do they know?

Speaking of not being able to hold something that well, they are staring very hard at their cup of hot chocolate, which is still very hot. They don’t want to get burned, but their hands are definitely still sort of shaky.

When they pick it up, they at least manage a couple sips without burning their mouth or dropping it. But as they go to set it back down, it falls, nearly ending on the floor except that suddenly it’s back on the table???

Klaus stands up and squints at it in confusion before looking around. “The ship is getting so weird these days.

2. Pool

Watson said to consider exercise and the pool and so Klaus is here to try to take advantage of it. He’s got Under the Sea stuck in his head at the moment, which is forcing him into a better mood.

This good mood sort of turns into a state of pure bewilderment as the pool floaties they’ve brought out start to dance just above the water to the tune, going in a circle, as they hum a little while getting ready to get in. Of course, they drop almost instantly as he seems to notice them. Confused, they hum the song again, but nothing happens. “What the hell?” Okay. Just weird ship things. Guess this is the vibe this month? Weird stuff?

3. Windjammer

Forcing themselves to eat is one of those things that’s just kind of happening. Klaus doesn’t really want to question his craving for baby carrots. It’s just one of those things. They need something that feels simple and probably won’t upset their stomach, right? Sure. That seems fair and accurate.

They are absolutely focused on grabbing more carrots and eyeing the garlic bread from afar, so if anyone comes up behind them, they are getting pelted with baby carrots, or the peas or…whatever else is at the veggies part of the buffet. Not that it seems like Klaus has thrown them. Mostly they seem to have thrown themselves from the buffet at whoever is behind him.

If they’re confused, so is Klaus. What is going on with the ship this month?

4. Promenade

Klaus is supposed to be avoiding these places and...really...he is. He's avoiding them. Mostly. It doesn't stop them from just sitting here and staring at Hurikane very intently from a bench in the middle of the promenade. Their hands are clenched around the seat of the bench, white knuckles obvious if you look. They are very purposely not going over, so that's...that's not nothing??? Probably. He's very obviously not paying attention to anything else around him.

It's only when he goes to stand up, very nearly deciding to go to Hurikane (but not wanting to) that a chair close by comes clattering in front of him and he looks at it in confusion for a moment. "What is with this place? Seriously." But on a more serious note, it might be time to phone a friend.

5. Wildcard

Hit me with whatever you like~ If you wanna run anything by me, my plurk is kingdonkey and otherwise, discord is kingdonkey#6187. This is just some random telekinesis shenanigans, but it can be anything else if you need it!

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Klaus is anxious to say the least, but...he trusts Johnny and that is why he's here in the first place. They let out a very slow breath as they walk in to John's. They peek around to see if the piano's behaving and if anything else weird is happening. They've been dealing with a lot of weird stuff recently. Weirdly enough.

"Hey." For now, Klaus is maintaining a bit of distance between themselves and the actual bar, but it's just because they're trying not to feel out of place in a place they aren't technically supposed to be. But it's fine. Right? This is totally fine. "How's it...uh...going?"

“Hey. It’s…going.” His sheepish smile is that of someone who doesn’t just want to dump their troubles, but they sure have them! “I got your text and I’ve been playing with mocktails since then. Because going sober doesn’t mean you get to escape my attention. Want to try some of the things I’ve been working on?”

It’s been a fun distraction.

Klaus creeps just a little closer. They know Johnny enough to know things probably aren’t great. Especially after Watson’s death. But Watson came to help him anyway. He might not know everything.

“Oh.” There’s a moment of quiet as they process this. Miraculously, given how many times they’ve cried recently, they don’t cry this time. “That’s so nice.” A beat. “Yeah. I can try them.”

"Now, quick rules: you're not going to touch any of the bottles on the bar--nothing except what I hand you. I will only give you something safe to drink. I'm not playing with your sobriety, I'm just trying to make sure you have things you can order. From me, or from the ghosts. I don't want you to be isolated or feel left out."

And with that, he begins working on something red in a cocktail shaker--sour style, with an egg white and everything.

"A lot of the recipes I saw are just 'mix juices until you have a punch', but I think that would get boring over time. There's so many syrups and interesting options here."

Klaus nods. Rules are good. They definitely don’t think they’ll be in here a lot anyway. “Okay. I can do that.” They carefully sit down.

“That probably would get a little boring eventually. I figure most of the frozen drinks can still just be frozen drinks either way.” But he’s curious anyway. What the drinks are going to be like.

"Yes, the pool bar does all the frozen drinks as virgin cocktails. But for now, try this one? Hibiscus sour." The drink is tart and frothy, sweet without being cloying.

Klaus takes the drink. It’s a pretty color, too. He sipped at it, smiling at the taste. “That one’s nice. Fancy. I’ve never had anything like this.” To be fair, Klaus hasn’t done a ton of specialty cocktails.

"Fancy is my preferred playground. There's a reason my crowning achievement back home was a champagne lounge. I'm all aesthetic and no substance, don't you know?" He laughs easily. "So the base on that one is strong hibiscus tea, with lime juice, simple syrup and the egg white for texture. Are there any flavors you really want to play with?"

Klaus gives him a squinty look. "That sounds like something I would say." Joking self deprecation that sounds like a funny little thing. "I'd say limit the pineapple as much as possible. But...uhhh...I guess watermelon is fun and really anything fruity. Oh! Chocolate! Man. I'm gonna miss alcoholic hot chocolate. Disappointing. But hot chocolate is still pretty good on its own."

Johnny doesn't acknowledge Klaus recognizing his self-deprecation. Shhhh...it's nothing, really. "Anything fruity, but not just juices, hmm? Watermelon brings agua fresca to mind--perhaps with mint for something really refreshing. As for chocolate, have you ever had a chocolate egg cream or chocolate phosphate?"

It's definitely something and Klaus will come back to this later. Don't sshh them!! "Yeah. I don't even know what you just said to me, but I trust you. And...no??? What? I don't do science very well, Johnny...and also...is that like those eggs that have the caramel in them? What're they called? Cad...something."

"Oh, no. Here, lemme introduce you to a real treat." This is even quicker to mix up than the previous mocktail. It's a classic chocolate soda, refreshing and cool, and he actually makes a second one for himself this time.

Well, this is new and exciting. Klaus takes the drink and sips at it. No wait. This is amazing and now he has to know how to make these because Nobunaga will love them. “Wow. I really should have found out about these as a child. Not that our voyages of sneaking out to Griddy’s would have come with these sorts of drinks, but I wish they had.”

"So, this is a phosphate. An egg cream is similar, but it has milk and no acid phosphate--creamier, see? In my world, sodas are becoming popular because they're actually campaigning to prohibit alcohol altogether in the States." That time in history, long before Klaus.

“Prohibition, huh? Sounds like a bummer of a time.” A shrug. “But people will still find a way. Like always.” Not that Klaus is really gunning to start drinking again. The worst of it all is over and he needs to stick to this because they’ve honestly done it too many times and it’s the worst.

“But yeah. I gotta try this more. Oh. And we can hijack some vanilla ice cream from scoops for rootbeer floats sometimes.”

"And creamsicle floats with orange soda. And hell, even simple grenadine and ginger ale and a splash of orange juice can be delicious." Johnny smirks. "Like I said, we're not going to let you get bored. Alright? I support you."

Klaus nods. All of it sounds like a good time. It’s still an adventure of getting used to things, but they feel at least a little more relaxed now. Definitely not going to be an ‘alone’ situation for a while with the bars, but at least if he goes with someone, he can find things to have and not feel uncomfortable forever. “Thanks. Everyone had been…pretty good about things. I’m trying to be as nice to myself about it as everyone else is, but that’s…not as easy, I guess. Our own worst critics.” There’s a sort of pointed look at Johnny as he says, “Gotta stop looking at myself as just sexy trash.” A low whisper. “We have substance.”

Johnny blushes vividly, shifting his weight uncomfortably. Witnessed.

"You weren't supposed to pay attention to that part, Klaus."

"Yeah...and yet people keep hitting me with that shit, so you know...if I have to do it, so do you." They lightly tap their fingers on the bar. "I'd say if you don't believe it, no one else will, but that's a lie. The number of people that keep believing in me as a person is weirdly a lot. And I'm pretty sure you're in the same boat. So...you know...guess you're stuck with me and this knowledge. You mean something to me. This is substance. Looking out for the people you care about and in a way they don't always expect. Even when I know you've got a lot of your own shit going on."

"You're not the only one I know on this ship who's been affected by drinking problems." Though how Rich was affected was an entirely different animal altogether. "But besides that, I needed to find some way to be sure you'd still come visit me."

There's something small and tender under that joke, like the fear that Klaus not drinking would mean a potential end to their friendship is a very real thing, like Johnny needed to find some way to ensure he'd still be useful to Klaus.

"That's fair." There's a lot of people that drink a lot on the ship. Klaus squints at him just slightly at the other words.

"I told you, we're best friends. You're stuck with me now." Which has been true of pretty much everyone that he's declared his best friend. "Don't act like we're somehow not going to talk. I will...well, not break your door down, but you'd probably have to do something really bad for me to avoid you forever."

He hadn't actually been referring to someone with alcoholism, but Rich, whose father had been a violent alcoholic. But close enough. Beside, the other half of the conversation is getting spicy. Johnny holds up a hand solemnly with his pinky finger out. "Promise?"

There's a soft laugh and they reach out with their own pinky finger, wrapping it around Johnny's. "Duh, I promise."

"Alright." He manages this goofy smile, because pinky promises are this childish thing, but...it does make him feel better.

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They say an end can be a start

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