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Robin could hear the commotion before even entering the VIP lounge.
“Sir, please-”
Heads turned when she walked through the doors, and the bartender sighed in relief. “Miss Robin! I’m terribly sorry to ask this of you, but… perhaps you could help me out with this gentleman?”
She strode up to the bar and smiled. “Of course! What seems to be the problem?”
She glanced at the Very Drunk man sitting mostly steadily on the bar stool, and her eyes lit up in recognition.
“Oh! Hello Mister Aventurine, how are you doing this fine evening?”
Aventurine looked back at her, revealing gentle tears running down his face. “They’re-” he slurred, “they’re just so wonderful-”
The bartender sighed. “He’s been talking nonstop about ‘Topaz’ and ‘Boothill’ to anyone who is willing to listen for the past 30 minutes. Unfortunately, we have been unable to convince or encourage him to go back to his room, he keeps requesting more alcohol and getting sad when we deny him, and we don’t know how to get a hold of either of the people he is talking about for assistance, nor if they are even on Penacony at the current time.”
Aventurine perked up. “D- did you m… ment… er… say Topaz an Boothill…?”
The bartender let out an exhausted sigh and looked hopefully at Robin.
Robin chuckled and patted Aventurine’s back. “Don’t worry, Mr. Aventurine, I happen to know that Mr. Boothill is on Penacony currently. I’ll message him for you, okay?”
Aventurine nodded, picking up the wine glass filled with water and taking a messy sip. “They both are jus- just so wonderful,” He slurred. “Topazzz’s so pretty… an’ strong… and kind… an’ pretty…”
“and- and Boothill, hes so strong too! He’s brave, and… and thoughtful… and fa- father-like? Dad-ly?” He pouted and his brows knit in concentration.
Robin giggled and sat down beside him, waving the Bartender off to take care of the other patrons. “Fatherly, you mean?”
Aventurine’s face lit up. “Yeah! That! Hes so amazing, he always… uh… helps when I’m a pickle…”
Robin tried to suppress a laugh, with moderate success. “In a pickle?”
“Mhm, that. Hes- hes fanterful. Wontastic? Mmh, water tomato.” Aven waved a hand and almost accidentally smacked Robin, not even noticing.
Robin glanced at her phone and smirked at the censored swear words. Good, he should be here soon.
Aven set the glass of water down for a moment, and Robin quickly exchanged Aventurine’s glass for something less breakable that the bartender had left on the counter.
“Boothill is- hes the- um. Amazing. He- he always… helps me.. An’ he tries to make sure i’m… grabbing concern? Ta- taking care of myself,” Aven continued to slur.
“Oh?” Robin encouraged, smirking.
“Mhmm.” Aventurine nodded seriously. “E’en if he’s annoying sometimes, he… i really ‘preciate what he does for me. Hes the bestest. My… job idol? No… um…”
“Rolemodel?” Robin supplied with an innocent smile.
“Yeah! Roleshmodel! Sortra. I don’... like… want his job er anythin. But… i adire his bravery… and co- con… um, consonance?”
Robin’s smile widened, gaze aimed slightly behind Aventurine. “Confidence.”
“Consolance, yeah! He always seems to know whadda do, and… and then he does it. I… um. And he tries to keep me in good health. He’d probably be mad at me right now, though.”
A new voice spoke from behind Aventurine.
“And why would I be mad at ya, exactly?”
Aventurine flinched, tried to turn around, forgot he’s on a bar stool, and fell off of it.
Boothill caught him before he hit the ground and placed the drunk man back on the stool.
“B- Boothill! Um. uh. How… how long’ve you been… uh… stepping there…?”
Boothill crossed his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow. “That’s not important, kid. Why exactly do you say i’d be mad at ya?”
Aventurine tried to move backwards, very unsuccessfully due to the counter and the small seat of his stool. “Um……. be… because ‘m drunk…?”
“Uh huh. Well i figured that much. How much sleep’ve you gotten lately?”
Aven stared at the very interesting floor.
“Aventurine.”
Aventurine flinched. “...sorry, dad…”
Boothill froze for a moment before quickly recovering. “Anyways!” He cleared his throat. “We should probably get you to bed.”
Boothill flinched very slightly.
“I’ll help,” Robin offered. “Since the hotel rooms don’t have much beyond the dreampool, would you like to bring him to his ship, or yours? Mine is also closeby.”
Boothill considered for a moment. “Hm. Mine, probably. It’s pretty close, anyways.”
He tried to pick up Aventurine, but the drunk gambler squirmed out of Boothill’s grasp and tried to stand. As soon as he was standing, however, he was also falling forward. Boothill caught him and tried to pick him up again, but Aventurine squirmed too much.
“Oh fer the love of Lan- Kid, I’m tryin’ ta help you.”
Aventurine pouted. “Mmn mm.”
Robin giggled and placed a hand on Reenie’s shoulder. “Mister Aventurine, how about Boothill and I help you walk back to his ship? You can get some more water and some rest there, okay?”
Aventurine mumbled for a moment.
“Please?”
Reluctantly, Aventurine let Robin take one of his arms and drape it over her shoulders.
Robin nodded at Boothill to do the same, who was currently staring in shock.
“How in tarnation did that work??”
Robin smirked. “Well, Mister Boothill, did you try asking him nicely?”
Boothill sputtered.
With a lighthearted glare to Robin, who was grinning rather proudly, Boothill took Aven’s other arm.
~~
Bringing Aventurine back to Boothill’s ship proved more difficult than it needed to be. Aventurine stubbornly refused to allow himself to be carried, and his attempts at walking made it more difficult for Robin and Boothill.
“Come on, please? One little sedative an’ the kid will be out fer the count and I can just carry him!”
“Nope, he’s already absolutely plastered, the last thing the poor boy needs is sedative drugs in his system, too.”
“I don’ wanna be a wall,” Aventurine pouted.
“You don’t have to be a wall, Aven,” Robin reassured.
“Mn. that’s good.”
Boothill groaned. “...Please?”
“Nope~ and you have to admit, its certainly entertaining.”
Aventurine flopped his head towards Boothill. “Have I ever said how gr- um. Co… … grool you are?”
Boothill suppressed a smile.
Robin giggled and smiled pointedly at him.
Boothill averted his gaze.
~~
“‘Bout time,” Boothill grumbled as they entered his ship.
Robin smirked as she helped Aventurine onto the couch. “Why so grumpy, mister cowboy?”
“I’m not grumpy…”
Robin helped Aven lay down on his side and stood. “Well you do a poor job of showing it~ could it be you’re not used to getting compliments?”
A faint flush painted Boothill’s cheeks for a brief moment. “Of course not. But, well. I mean, even so, the kiddo absolutely refused to close his trap-”
Robin walked up to Boothill, smiling. Her hands behind her back, she went on her tiptoes to get closer to his face. “What, are you saying that you didn’t want to hear those nice things he said about you?”
Boothill took a step back and averted his gaze. “No, ‘course not, I just, well, i mean, he needs to get some sleep, an’ if he’d let me carry him, he coulda been asleep long time ago.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m gonna grab a cup of water for him.”
When Boothill returned from the kitchen, Aventurine had already fallen asleep. Robin shook his shoulder gently, getting a displeased grunt in return.
“C’mon kiddo, you need ta drink this water.”
Boothill set the glass on the coffee table for a moment. “Thank you for helpin’, princess. I’ve got it from here, you’ve probably got important songbird stuff to do.”
Robin giggled. She approached Boothill and reached up, running her hand through his hair and messing it up a bit. “Alright, mister cowboy. Both of you take proper care of yourselves, okay? And don’t hesitate to call or message me.” she winked at Boothill, and with that she was gone.
Boothill stood there frozen for a good minute until Aventurine groaned.
“Ah, sorry kiddo. Here, drink some water, 'kay?”
He sat Aven up and carefully helped him drink the glass of water, with little resistance.
“... ‘m sleepy.”
“I know, kiddo. You can go ahead and get some sleep now, okay?” Boothill picked him up and carried him to the guest bedroom.
By the time he entered the room, Aventurine was fast asleep.
~~
Aventurine awoke the following morning in a room all too familiar.
He groaned and sat up, bringing a hand to his head.
“Ugh. what-”
He froze as the memories came flooding back.
Aventurine groaned again and covered his face with a pillow.
Boothill entered the room with a glass of water and pain meds.
“Mornin’ kiddo. How’re ya feelin?”
Aventurine reluctantly set the pillow aside and accepted the water and meds, pointedly avoiding eye contact. “...I’ve been worse.”
Boothill shuffled awkwardly. “Well, now that yer awake, I’ll go get breakfast started.” Boothill turned to leave.
“Wait-”
Both Boothill and Aventurine were surprised by his protest. Aventurine stared intensely at the wall.
“Um. I just… uh. What I mean to say is… um…” Aventurine took a deep breath. “... thank you, Boothill.”
A small, gentle smile spread slowly across Boothill’s face. “You’re very welcome, kid.”
Boothill left the room, and Aventurine collapsed onto the bed face first.
… maybe just a few more minutes.
~~~~