[Mingle] Sunday Night, Asphodel Bar

[windupgadget]

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.

Comments

[windupgadget]

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.

[blackshadow]

"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.

[windupgadget]

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?

[blackshadow]

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."

[windupgadget]

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."

[blackshadow]

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?"

[windupgadget]

"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.

[blackshadow]

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..."

[windupgadget]

"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,."

[blackshadow]

...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..."

[windupgadget]

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.

[blackshadow]

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.

[windupgadget]

He could probably pull her right back out into the cold, mentioning stuff like that. She doesn't even notice, knocked right out of her rambles to eye Etienne.

"-I wouldn't know, I don't play a lot." And yet the very mention instantly had her. Go figure. "Where would we get any?"

[blackshadow]

"I own some," which is why he mentioned it, though he hadn't really intended to invite some strange, drunk girl over.

But it would probably be responsible to.

"If you want to come over to my place until you sober up, we won't need to stand out in the cold..."