Erika is already dozing off her cheeks as red as tomatoes.
" Looks like she overdid it again." Mina remarks, her cheeks slightly red.
" I keep telling her how weak she is, compared to me." Leon proclaims, his cheeks equally as red as erika's.
" I haven't drunk this much in a very long time." Kent remarks.
" Don't tell my wife." He slowly adds and everyone starts laughing.
" Seems like everyone is out of it except the iron belly." Alan says whilst laughing
" It's true i've never seen you drunk." Leon adds, given hiroto a queer look.
" Believe me I'm envious of y'all." He adds whilst adjusting his glasses.
" I remember when we used to get really wasted at the old one eyed tavern and he'll be the one to drag us out." Leon replies whilst gazing into his remaining cup of alcohol, his reflection shimmering from time to time.
" Or the time you thought you gained alcohol magic." Alan responds clutching his belly and laughing hysterically even before he finishes his statement.
Everyone following suit, even the dozing erika, kent slammimg the table with his fist and covering his face with his other palm trying to control his laughter.
" Yeah yeah, laugh all you want. Still beats the time you almost burned the whole tavern, cause you saw demons in the drinks." he refutes, mimicing alan at the end.
The laughter grows even more contagious, as they pass around more silly stories.
" My hair is a mess." Mina says whilst patting her hair.
" You still look beautiful to me." Leon replies almost absentmindedly, until he realised what he just said. His face turning red instantly.
Her face also getting red more from embarrassment than the alcohol, an awkward silence instantly surfaces between them as everyone continue's their talks.
F*ck what should i do, what should i say....his mind playing multiple scenarios.
" Thank you....i better go check up on anna." She replies timidly, slowly getting up and leaving the room.
He bangs bangs his head on the table as he thinks you big idiot.
" Still suck with the ladies i see." Alan remarks.
" Mind your bloody business." He lashes out, shame and anger clearly written on his face.
She finds anna sleeping peacefully on the couch. She sits besides her then pats her hair whilst playing with her ring.
" Idiot." She says to no one in particular smiling to herself.
" Goodnight dear, thank you for having us. i gotta turn in early cause my benefactor and i have alotta to do tomorrow." She tells akina Infront of the door.
Anna is sleeping soundly on her back, they hug each other.
" Be safe, i hope you visit us next time." Akina replies.
" Will do." She yawns at the end of her statement.
Kent and Leia also take their leave, hana sleeping peacefully in her moms arms.
" Were did i keep my keys again." Kent asks before they exit.
" You're drunk aren't you?." Leia asks looking suspicious.
" No I'm not." He replies avoiding her gaze, trying to open the back door.
" Get in I'm driving." She sighs then says.
" We should also turn in." Eimi declares before hugging akina.
Shizuru's sleeping soundly in hiroto's arms.
Mint pulls erika out supporting her with her shoulder. Erika keeps spouting gibberish.
" We better move out." Mint tells akina as she walks out.
" Goodnight, be safe please." Akina replies.
Erika breaks off, holds akina and kisses her on cheeks.
" I'm not drunk, i'm in character." She whispers then winks. Her face as red as a tomatoe.
She staggers outside, pointing her tipsy finger sky. Mint immediately running after her and catching her when she tripped and almost fell.
" I'm alright, i wouldn't have fallen." Erika drowsily says.
Only alan and leon are still in the dining table, silence preceding everything.
" How long has it been." Leon asks.
" How long has what been?." Alan responds.
" Don't play dumb with me." Leon responds dryly.
" You're the dumb one not me." Alan shrugs.
Leon stares at alan, without batting an eye lid. The awkward silence growing.
" Three years." Alan sigh then says, breaking the silence.
" I won't lie, at first i wasn't all cozy with the thought of giving you my sister hands-." He says pausing mid sentence, inhaling and exhaling.
" But i guess you proved me wrong, then again." He continues.
Everywhere goes silent once again. Each of them minding their drinks.
" I'm sorry." Alan adds.
" For what?, making my sister happy." Leon laughs it off.
He pulls down his left sleeve and reveals a long scar. He slowly rubs it.
" Although I'm still paying you back for this." Leon remarks.
As the image of their last battle slowly appears in their minds.
" WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! ARE YOU DOING THIS?!." Alan yells at leon both visibly younger.
" WHAT DID YOU EXPECT, ME TO TELL YOU HOW HAPPY I AM?!!." Leon yells back looking less muscular.
He runs foward as they exchange a flurry of punches all imbued with mana. Alan dodges his upper cut by crouching down, gathering mana in his feets immediately releasing it spearing headfirst into leons waist pushing him back.
Leon reacts quickly and those the same to negate the force, immediately lifting alan up and smaking him on the ground. He coughs up blood as his back makes contact.
" Like i said you ain't worth it." Leons says his larger figure standing above alan's.
He turns around spits on the floor, then starts walking away.
" Don't give me that shit." Alan replies while pushing himself up blood slowly flowing from his mouth.
He wipes it off with his sleeve, raise both his fist up.
" I'm gonna beat out your insecurities." He proclaims and immediately dashes forth.
Leon responds with a mana infused fist, alan sidesteps stretches his palm and mana covers it forming a little blade.
Mana blade, leon looks at it visibly spooked. when, how?.
Alan swings the palm forth, leon blocks with his right arm. It gets slashed forcing blood to spray out. Alan follows up with a swift front kick landing a direct hit on leon's chin, which sends him flying up leaving him shocked with no time to react. He delivers a fierce blow.
Leon crashes is sent flying and slams his back on a tree, He also coughs up blood. Still in shock of what just happened. Alan rushes forth, climbs atop leon and delivers blow after blow after blow.
His fist now covered with blood as he stares by at leons bruised face.
" I don't need you to accept it, just trust me." Alan yells as he grabs his collar.