YARIS 3, 2719 ❁ EARLY NIGHT
Lars supposed he could understand why. The night's fights hadn't started yet, but already the anticipation was palpable, as thick in the air as the stench of sweat and old blood. The arena was loud, alive with voices that mixed together and shouted over each other the same, making bets and jests and threats and whatever else rowdy men and women got up to while they awaited entertainment. The people in the arena were living for this, for the moments leading up to the fight's beginning, for the moment when they knew if they had lost or gained some coin, or simply for the moment when someone's fist connected with someone's jaw for the first time.
It was enough to get him excited, too, enough to get him jittery and energetic, his skin tingling with some mix of anxiety and amusement. As ancient a practice as it seemed, he was dreadfully delighted with the idea of sitting comfortable and watching some fortunate souls tear each other apart. Or perhaps it wouldn't be so requited of an affair, perhaps one of them would come right out and squash the others immediately, like some sort of insect beneath their shoe. He wasn't sure which he wanted to see more, and hoped he wouldn't have to choose.
It all felt like such an indulgence to him - getting to leave the Queen for the night in favor of accompanying some well-paying captain to the arena, along with a few other of Scarlett's men and women, and watching a fight on someone else's coin. Where was the downside in that? He definitely couldn't find one.
Although he had never visited before, Lars could tell that they were all in for some kind of special treat tonight; the fellows from the captain's crew that sat about their table were going on and on about it, about how tonight was something truly special, something of an exception to the regular one on one fights the arena put on.
Yes; tonight, it would be two against two. Double the fighters, double the carnage, double the bets, double the coin. If one was so lucky, of course, and played their hands just right.
Lars sat comfortably in the captain's lap, his upper half lying somewhat against the old man's arm and chest while his legs were propped up over the other arm, the passive essentially cradled in his hold but not appearing too bothered about that fact. No, he seemed as fine as ever, gray eyes focused out at the center of the arena as he pondered the upcoming fights. He could almost fit in with the table of pirates and their golden teeth and colorful sashes, wearing the earrings he'd acquired last month as well as a few necklaces layered about his neck, a lovely red sash thrown around his waist that he'd only received tonight. Kohl was smudged about his eyes, a new practice for the passive but he enjoyed the look of it nonetheless. Below it all was standard fare, loose shirts and trousers that weren't quite long enough to reach his ankles, but he felt perfectly adequate beside the rest of them, with their sea-worn coats and trousers with holes.
He had to move his head now and then as the captain waved his drink around, enraptured in excited conversations with his mates, speaking words that Lars more often than not couldn't understand, and if his drink escaped his mug a few times to splash white hair, well he didn't say anything about it. He would reek of the arena when he left anyway, and felt no need to disturb the captain from his talks, not when he had no conversations of his own to replace them with.
His focus was solely on the arena, and the people that practically clamored over each other to get closer and closer to the center. Lars allowed himself a half-smile, turning his head a bit to get a better view. This was entertainment enough, to watch and listen to all these people that seemed so devoted to these fights - but he was still looking forward to the main attraction, perhaps more so than he'd originally anticipated.
Lars gently moved the captain's drinking hand out of his line of sight, the older man barely even noticing the little action, and listened as the crowd's yells increased in volume.
Well, he figured it must be starting then.