Bounty's Perspective
XXXXX
Gods this place is a maze. Because we get our food delivered to our rooms I have no clue where the hells the kitchen is. I need a drink dammit! That weird encounter with Color has left me on edge. I guess I'm fortunate we got back a day early thanks to Yoona putting a speed enchantment on the horses.
There is a surprising lack of servants. Is it a holiday? A special event? Oh, there's a guy with a plate of sweets and a kettle of tea. Now I just need to go to where he came from... jackpot!
It definitely seems I missed dinner rush as there's very few servants on hand. Should be pretty easy getting past them unseen... wait, why am I sneaking around? Old habits die hard I guess. I live in this house so that means I can go anywhere I want right? I guess I'll test it.
Yep, not a single one of them batted an eye at me wondering past into the wine cellar. They either have no rules against people just meandering into the wine cellar, or they don't care because it's me. Fucking absolute lads either way. Now to get myself a bottle and close up the night... do I hear singing?
"~One... Two... Three... Won't you dance with me?~
~If you say no... I'll be sent out to sea.~
~One... Two... Three... Won't you dance with me?~
~If you say yes... I'll get down on one knee.~"
I recognize that accent! I turn the corner can't help but chuckle. Whistle's slumped against a cask smelling of wine. I guess he heard me enter as he stopped singing. I'm so holding this over him later.
"Heeeeeey Bonty...! Wat brings you h-here?" His speech was slurred and his accent a little thicker. I'll excuse him getting my name wrong. I do the same all the time.
"Just looking for a drink, mate. Know where I can find one?" I jokingly ask. I want to see what this cat's like drunk. He looked up to me in thought, then he moved his hand over to an open wine bottle only to knock it over.
"Pffffft! Sorry! I guess I spilled iiiiit!" He laughed hard enough to slump over on to the floor.
At least he's a happy drunk.
I grab the spilled bottle and sit next to him taking a swig of the leftovers. Ooooh! Blackberry! Nice.
"So what brought you down here to get all wasted?" I ask as I take another swing.
"Oh nothing... Just thinking about home..." He sat back up but sounded a little solemn.
"You miss it?"
"Fuuuuuuuck nooooooo!" He said long and drawn out.
"I don't want to go back to that shithole. All my 'friends' were liars and thieves."
"Come on, they can't all be that bad." I reply with a chuckle before taking another sip.
"No, I mean they are literally all liars and thieves. I was raised in thieves guild that fronted as an or-... Uh... phan... Orphanage! That's the word." He got excited figuring out his own wording, but then took on a sad quiet look again.
"Orphanage, huh. Did you... Did you know your parents?" I nervously ask. I probably shouldn't open such a can of worms but I feel like alcohol works like truth serum on him.
"Haha... Nope. Just Headmistress Nana, Halga, Richard..." He then proceeded into a low mumble as he counted people on his fingers, though I couldn't make out a single name. More honestly I kinda just stopped listening.
I sat up a little more as I take another drink. I can feel the poor drunk panther rest his head against my shoulder. He then leans over with a question of his own. "What are parents like?"
Oh boy... "Well my mother was loving, caring, attentive... What all mothers should be."
"And your father?"
"I don't want to talk about him." He may be dead an buried, but the less I remember about that asshole the better.
I can tell I made the mood a little uncomfortable as I take another drink. Whistle presses more into my shoulder. "I don't want to go home. This place is so much better. I hope we fail."
To be honest I haven't really thought about returning home. No real lasting ties. No place to call home, and no family to run back too. At least I've gathered a few friends here. Even if we are just glorified cannon fodder. I raise my bottle to clink against his.
"Cheers, mate. To our shitty homes and hopeful failure."
"Cheers!"
CLINK!
We both down the last of our bottles. This wine must be pretty potent. A quarter of a bottle and I can already feel the lethargy kicking in. I don't want to move. I'm sure they won't mind if I take a nap down here, right?
"Hey Bounty?" Whistle whispered quietly.
"What's up?" I whisper back.
"Thanks for talking to me."
"No problem, mate."
"And Bounty..."
"Yeah?"
"You're pretty cute." He whispers in my ear as he gives a peck on my cheek, his whiskers bristling against mine. He then laid his head back down on my shoulder.
"Thanks, mate." I reply calmly, but internally I was freaking the fuck out.
Fuck-fuck-fuck! No!
Please don't be gay!
Please don't be gay!
Please don't be gay!
Let it be a weird drunken quirk of his!
Maybe it's something cultural!?
Was I giving a vibe?
Fuck I was giving a vibe!
Think Bounty, think! How do we get out of this situation without offending him?
"Zzz..."
Oh thank the gods! I've never been so happy to hear another person snore in my life!
Let's just hope he's blackout and won't remember anything the next morning.
XXXXX
The Next Morning
Whistle's Perspective
XXXXX
Whistle you idiot flirtatious drunk! Why did you do that?! We made a promise not to do that!
Okay, calm down. He's still asleep and our clothes are still on. NOTHING HAPPENED! Just a little mistake.
But maybe he's into it? No, everytime I've asked myself that I've been wrong.
I'll play it off like I don't remember! I mean I remember every second, but I'm a very good actor.
Yeah that will do! Oh no he's waking up.
XXXXX
Bounty
XXXXX
So heavy...
"Hey Whistle. Are you awake?" I ask through the weight on my chest. He seems to have fallen on top of me in our sleep. If it wasn't for the fact we are still fully dressed I'd have thought we might of did 'it'. Thankfully not.
"Hmmm?"
"Can you get off of me?"
"Oh yeah. Uh... when did you get in here?"
"Last night." Good, he doesn't seem to remember.
"Also... why were you under me?"
Fuck! Think fast! Don't give any hint of gay!
"You should really ask the asshole the knocked me over then fell asleep on top of me." There we go, divert blame and make myself seem uninterested.
"Oh, sorry. I guess I get pretty in-your-face when I'm drunk."
That's a fucking understatement buddy, and you know it.
"Alright, why don't we nurse these headaches and see if there's something for us to do. This floor is killing me."
"Sure. Let's."
Phew, mission success!