asphodelmeadows | [Mingle] Sunday Night, Asphodel Bar

Entry tags:

[Mingle] Sunday Night, Asphodel Bar

Despite the popular draw of alcohol, the local bar didn't see much regular service. If people wanted a good time, with lots of food and karaoke, they went down to that one place down near the port, and ordered a drink there. And besides that, only a small handful bothered at all, when it felt like everybody worked every single day. Who had the time?

Except this weekend the whole town had gone off its rocker, and if there was anything all of them could use, it was an escape. Unfortunately, it was having questionable results. The later it got, the more people screamed at the games showing on the televisions, or sobbed into their cups, or just outright punched someone who looked at them the wrong way.

Too bad the staff looked too frayed themselves to bother kicking the last sort out.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Etienne calmed down as well now that the fight was behind them and there was a nice, sturdy door between the drunk patrons and the two of them.

Sighing, all he could do is shrug. "Whatever you want to do... But we can head to a diner to let you cool down first.

"A proper night's sleep would help..."

But no, that was unlikely, now that the noise and mess of the bar had undone any calm the drink might have granted her dreams. Better to follow Etienne's advice, and so she nodded and looked about for the closest place to walk.

"Right. I still need to get that water..."

She was right about both those things, but he was still a little worried about her. He should probably walk her home if she doesn't sober up after a few glasses, too... Ugh, he was not planning to spend his Sunday night like this.

He kept his hand on her back and gingerly guided her onto the sidewalk. Of course they were still sort of icy even after being salted... "Right. Let's get a snack to help you along while we're at it..."

Shiki gives a blind nod, her attention switching to the ground in front of her as she slowly follows his lead. (And not all from still being down. The more she watches where she steps, the better.)

But - a good pause later - his words properly register and she gives a dazed stare his way. "Hey, what about you? You- still want a drink, too?"

He had completely forgotten that he went out to drink to forget in the first place until she mentioned it. "Maybe," he sighed. "I can just pick something up at the store if I have to, though..."

"-sorry." Sure, the ruckus back there was likely to blame, but it doesn't stop her apologizing for it.

Or giving a watery laugh as they search the streets. "If it makes you feel better, it didn't help much."

As luck was usually on their sides, most of the storefronts were dark and uninviting, but at least they were the only two drunk people wandering on the street at the moment. Talking was a good distraction from the rest of the night, though.

"What were you trying to do?"

"I don't know" was the automatic reply, but she sighs, digs her palm into her eye, and looks out into the street.

"Just, relax. Get a good night's sleep."

"There are probably better ways to do that..." Then again, he wouldn't blame her for making that choice. She wouldn't be the first person to.

She chuckles out a shuttered laugh and smiles, finding some form of humor there. "Oh, I've tried others. But I'm getting a little desperate- And today didn't help. Who knows what I'd see after that."

Edited 2013-02-27 02:53 (UTC)

"What happened?" he asked, turning his head to try to see her face. What kind of desperation was she feeling?

"-nothing," she said, yet it was hesitant, and stuttered with the struggle to explain. But she tried again, realizing her own mistake in wording, since what she fear with was.. "Nothing, I see nothing. But I can't stay asleep, and when I wake up-"

She was clutching her own arm, and when her fingers started to ache she let go and waved the hand in the air instead, motioning at her throat as the panic and drinks loosened her tongue. "I can't breathe, and I jump out of bed because it feels something's pulling me apart. But there's nothing there."

His eyes grew wide as she continued. Is that a kind of sleep apnea? That was the only thing he could think of; if it was just a nightmare, there'd be nothing she could do about it. His hand moved to her shoulder to hold her in an awkward, loose, side hug.

"You need to see a doctor. If you can't breathe...it could be really serious."

It's around this time that Etienne realizes that he doesn't even know her name.

Shiki levels a not-quite-seeing stare at Etienne at the touch, namely taken off guard. But, it's something to focus on besides the not-dreams, and that's relief enough, even without considering the comfort.

But she still shrugs a small bit, not enough to knock him off.

"I wouldn't know what to tell him. It's not like, I'm really choking- And the only place to go around here's the hospital."

And she's stayed out of there as much as she could, save to get perscriptions refilled.

"If you're having night terrors, that doesn't really matter... Go to the hospital and set up an appointment." When you're sober, he mentally added. "You just need to tell them what you just said. It's their job to figure out what's going on."

Etienne himself just hoped that she hadn't drank enough to reach the point of blacking out so she'd actually remember this. She didn't look that intoxicated, though.

She gave a telling sniff, but offered no words for a beat, focusing on the road and her feet and keeping the latter landing straight on the former.

"Maybe I can just call and talk to my doctor- Could be some side effect..."

And she didn't think she got too carried away - it was just a couple shots. But she was tired, worn out, and sitting down on the sidewalk seemed so preferable to walking more. But it was cold. So she looked to the side, considering just that- And leaned for the doorway she spotted, instead.

A convenient store, yes- But close enough to the planned restaurant, right?

A side effect? This was turning so much more serious than he expected. He didn't know how to deal with all of this.

But like her, he was less literally taking this one step at a time, and when she leaned over, he was quick to put an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, if you're feeling sick, you can't do it in front of someone's door. Take some deep breathes."

Shiki near tripped at the trip-up in her path, and stumbled a step before Etienne swung her straight again, ending with the woman blinking surprised.

"-I'm not sick. I'm fine." Grant it, saying it makes her chuckle a bit, thinking how that's pretty cliche talk from a half-drunk girl. But she waved her hand in front of her face.

"Really- I thought you wanted to get somewhere warm."

Etienne kept his arm around her to keep her steady. Even if she said she wasn't sick, he didn't know if he should really believe that.

"This isn't a really good place to stop, though..." Not if they're going to sit, relax, and get her hydrated again. But it was a store... "Do you want to go in, though?"

"Don't see anywhere else worth going..." Every spot to sit down and eat she'd seen involved a lot of yelling and crying and noise- especially if alcohol was available.

At least a store could offer stuff without the social hazards. Right?

Well, hopefully. She wasn't up for a more creative idea.

Sighing, Etienne realized he didn't really feel like fighting with her.

"All right... We'll get something here, then. Come on." He kept his arm around her shoulders to keep her steady as he pulled the door open for them. "We can relax in the park afterwards..."

"Right..." That would be cold, wouldn't it, so despite the goal the first thing Shiki did was grab a gloves and scarf set off the displays nearby, making them both stop long enough to get the blasted thing off the hook.

At least by the time she had it in hand, she had the mind to look to Etienne. "What do you want? I mean- You didn't get anything back there. So it's on me,."

...She was like a big kid. He guessed anyone that's drunk would be, but it still made Etienne feel even more tired.

"You don't have to--I'm fine..." he told her. "I probably shouldn't be drinking to forget anyway." Being with her took his mind off everything else, too. "We should just get some water and relax now..."

Shiki's light mood popped at his answer- Not the rejection, mind you, but the comment. Forgetting's not the exactly same thing, but... She still frowns and finds the threads of that scarf mighty interesting.

"Right... I guess there's other ways... That arcade's pretty fun, and might be good- But it's probably closed right now, huh? There's always other games, though- Ha, I wonder how much of the crossword I could right now!"

And look, she's back to smiles. If forgetting they're standing in the middle of an aisle.

Etienne isn't considerate enough to care that she's standing in the middle of a lane, just like how he wasn't considerate enough to watch what he had said. It wasn't that he was judging her so much as himself.

"There are always computer games," he suggested with a lopsided smile. "My friends always used to joke about how much more fun they'd be if you played them drunk..."

As he said that, though, he hugged her closer and tried to tug her towards the coolers along the wall.

(no subject)

windupgadget - 2013-03-17 04:11 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

blackshadow - 2013-03-19 04:06 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only