"Mmm," Nariko moaned softly as she slowly blinked her eyes open, a drowsy smile creeping onto her face. She was warm, comfortable, and—*Wait, what?* She looked down and realized her arms were wrapped around Drave's shoulders, her head resting against his back as he carried her. "Awake now, are you?" Drave's voice came from just ahead, dry but undeniably exhausted.
Nariko lifted her head slightly, still a little dazed from the alcohol. "What did I miss~?" she mumbled, her voice thick with lingering drunkenness. Her demi-human blood was kicking in, the effects of the alcohol wearing off faster than it would for a human, but she was still far from sober.
Drave sighed deeply, his steps measured and careful as he made his way down the road toward the castle. "Oh, not much," he said, his tone flat. "Just a very drunk werewolf trying to maul me. I had to fight for my life. No big deal." He glanced down at his torn robe and muttered, "Also, you and Clovis both owe me a new robe, by the way."
Nariko snuggled her head against his back, her tail lazily swaying behind her. "Ehhh, why me? He's the one you fought, right?" she slurred, her words soft and playful.
Drave let out a scoff. "I wouldn't have had to fight him if you hadn't roped him into a drinking competition," he replied, his irritation barely masked.
Nariko giggled, her laughter still a bit slurred but less so than before. "Okay, I guess that's true," she admitted. "Alright, I'll get you a new robe."
Drave huffed, his pace steady as he trudged along. "Not just from you. I expect both you and Clovis to buy me a replacement as an apology," he said, his annoyance laced with just a hint of sarcasm.
Nariko smirked and ruffled his ashy hair, much to Drave's visible displeasure. "Aw, so grumpy," she teased, her voice sing-songy as she giggled again. "Alright, alright, we'll both buy you a new one. Happy?"
Drave shrugged beneath her weight, his tone begrudging. "As happy as I can be, I suppose."
Nariko kept playing with his hair, ignoring his subtle attempts to shake her hand off. After a moment, she glanced around and frowned, realizing something was missing. "Hey... where's the big wolf?"
"Another one of the vampire's retainers showed up while I was fixing the tavern," Drave explained, his voice dry and tired. "She heard the commotion and took Clovis back. They didn't exactly feel like sticking around after I stabbed him with silver."
Nariko tilted her head slightly, her ears twitching in curiosity. "Then why didn't we go with them?" she asked, her tone casual as she rested her chin on his shoulder.
Drave let out another long-suffering sigh. "Because," he started, "I had to fix the tavern, remember? It took me half an hour to repair all the damage Clovis caused. They didn't want to wait, considering I stabbed Clovis and all."
Nariko frowned, her hands finding his hair again as she tugged at it, this time less playfully and more scolding. "Why'd you stab him with silver?" she asked, her tone stern despite her drunken state.
Drave winced, trying to shake her hand off his head. "I had to, or else I'd be dead right now!" he snapped, clearly annoyed as he wrestled with her grip.
Nariko stopped pulling and simply crossed her arms, resting them on his shoulders with a huff. "Don't do it again," she said in a half-serious scold, though there was a lingering smile in her voice.
Drave rolled his eyes, muttering sarcastically, "Yes, ma'am."
"Good, good," Nariko purred, nodding in approval as she tightened her arms around Drave's neck, nestling closer into his back. "Now, why am I on your back, my sweet Drave?" she asked, her voice teasing as she grinned mischievously against his ear.
Drave's brow furrowed slightly, but he kept his gaze forward, trying not to be fazed. "Because you were drunk out of your mind," he said, his voice level, though a faint blush began to creep up his neck. "And if I left you passed out there, your mistress would've skinned me alive."
Nariko giggled and then poked his cheek playfully. "Is that really the only reason?" she asked, her tone suggestive, trying to extract something more. Her grin widened as she noticed Drave's blush deepen, his ears going a little red.
"Come on, don't do this," he muttered, averting his eyes. "I'm not falling for it."
"Oh, but I want to hear you say it," Nariko said, her grin turning even more devilish. She leaned in closer, her breath warm against his ear as she pushed him for an answer.
Drave let out a heavy sigh, his resolve crumbling under her persistence. "Because... because I wanted to be close to you, alright?" His voice was soft, almost reluctant, as if admitting it aloud was an embarrassing defeat.
Nariko's laughter was soft but filled with delight as she playfully rested her chin on his shoulder. "Aw, how cute~," she cooed, savoring every moment of his discomfort.
Drave, meanwhile, let out another long sigh, clearly exasperated. "This," he said, dragging out the word, "has been the worst break of my life." His tone was deadpan, but the exhaustion was unmistakable.
Nariko's laugh was bubbly as she pulled herself closer, her tail swishing lazily behind her. "What, you don't want to hang out with both of us again?" she teased, the mirth in her voice impossible to miss.
Drave didn't hesitate. "Never. Ever. In a million years. Ever again," he said, resolutely shaking his head as if to punctuate his statement.
Nariko leaned in close, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "Well, you can cut out Clovis if you want, but you're stuck with me for life."
The words hit him like a wave, his face going beet red in an instant. He sputtered for a moment before muttering under his breath, "What an annoying little brat of a girlfriend you are..."
Nariko simply grinned, her laugh soft and smug as she snuggled against his back. "And your glad to have me."