The dimly lit tavern was filled with the sound of clinking mugs and merry laughter. Roxy, a bit tipsy, swayed as she made her way to the bar, her voice filled with drunk giggles. "hiccup~ One ale, please, sir!"
The bartender, unamused, replied, "Sorry, love, you're cut off."
Roxy's eyes widened in disbelief, her intoxication not dulling her fiery spirit. "Fuck you! I'm not ~hiccup~ cut off, you are!"
The bartender maintained a stoic expression, refusing to indulge in her antics. Roxy matched his gaze, challenging his authority with a drunken determination. After a brief standoff, she huffed, "You may have won th- ~hiccup~ this round." She stumbled away from the bar, still maintaining her defiant stare.
She plopped down at a nearby table with a grunt, her movements betraying her drunken state. "I need one of you to buy me booze," she declared to her companions, Ben and Arthur, who sat in silent bewilderment.
Arthur finally spoke up, "So… you're not quitting?"
Roxy's words slurred with inebriation, "what are you talking about?"
"You quit the party about ten minutes ago," Arthur reminded her gently.
Roxy laughed, attempting to mask her pain with bravado. "Pshh, you guys would die without me, haha." But Arthur saw through her facade, catching the glimmer of sorrow in her eyes.
As Roxy's face planted on the table, mumbling Arie's name in her drunken ramblings, Ben remained silent, continuing to drink. He understood the weight of Roxy's pain and chose to let her find solace in her own way.
"Go get some sleep, Arthur," Ben suggested, knowing that Arthur needed some time to process his emotions.
Arthur nodded but hesitated to leave, haunted by the memory of Arie's death. "Okay…"
With a slight nod, Ben acknowledged Arthur's need to stay a little longer. When Roxy's state deteriorated further, Ben knew it was time to intervene. Gently lifting her over his shoulder, he whispered to Arthur, "I'll bring Roxy to her room."
As Ben carried Roxy to her room, they passed a picture of Arie on the bedside table. Roxy's murmurs became more coherent as she hugged her pillow, saying Arie's name with a mix of longing and fondness. Ben carefully laid her on her bed, then glanced at the picture, his expression heavy with unspoken emotions.
He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. The tavern's atmosphere seemed to echo the sadness that hung in the air. Despite the night's revelry, Ben's thoughts were filled with memories of his fallen friend.
In his own room, Arthur tried to find sleep, but the guilt and fear gnawed at his mind. He replayed the events of that fateful encounter, feeling helpless all over again. His hands trembled as he tried to push the memories away, but they lingered, like shadows in the darkness.
Roxy's soft cries could be heard from the adjacent room, and Arthur knew that the pain they shared was too immense to be forgotten or pushed aside.