"No way you're drunk already."
I turned away from the villagers that I had been destroying at a drinking game to see Leon looking at me with an amused expression.
The happy smile that appeared on my like it could've split my mouth in two as I got off my seat at the drinking table and pulled the young man in for a big hug.
"Leoooon!" I yelled happily, slurring the boy's name as I laughed. "You worried everybody soooo much!"
"Gods above, you're drunk," Leon grunted with a laugh as he patted my back.
I pulled him away but not before giving him a big, sloppy kiss to his cheek.
"That's so gross!" he yelled as he wiped his face furiously.
I laughed heartily, my cheeks feeling incredibly warm from the alcohol but that was how I liked it. I wasn't too drunk either, just drunk enough to not give a shit about anything.
I felt alive again. I'd danced with so many pretty women, ate some good food and drank to my heart's content. Plus, the mission was a success, no casualties.
I only thought of Marcellus a couple of times for the past three hours.
Okay, it may have been more than that.
It was more than that. I didn't stop thinking about him at all. That meant only one thing.
I turned back to the table to grab another jug of that sweet, sweet apple beer but Leon's hand on my shoulder stopped me.
"Alright, big guy. I think that's enough for now."
I pouted but listened to him. Leon seemed more sober so that meant he was the smartest at the moment.
Though not smart enough to not go fight a damned Mind Flayer by himself.
"Leon, you fucking dummy!" I said as I put the kid in a headlock and roughly ruffled his blonde hair. "What did I say about understanding the-the fucking situation before going in alone?"
"Alright! Alright! Get off me!"
I did as was told but stood in front of the young adventurer with folded arms, swaying a little on my feet.
Leon patted himself down and took a deep breath, looking at me sheepishly.
"I know," he said with a sigh. "I just…Look…Walk with me for a second."
My eyes narrowed but I nodded, gesturing for him to lead the way.
As the young man walked me to the edge of the square, I didn't forget to look back to catch another glimpse of Marcellus.
The man was looking so very happy sitting down while surrounded by the children. Little Helena was busy adding flowers around the man's curly hair and some of the kids were busy painting his nails black with kohl.
He looked so soft. There were villagers inching closer and closer to him too, so many of them enchanted with the foreign nobleman and I couldn't judge them.
I was the very same.
Maybe that's why he rejected me. I'm like everyone else to him.
I slapped myself on both cheeks, causing Leon to look at me like I was crazy. I needed to stop thinking.
"Saints above. Just how much did you drink?"
We had stopped just in front of the feast, not too close and not too far. I could've still seen each face of the remaining villagers.
"I saw it take a kid."
I focused back on Leon as he began to speak. His words were slowly sobering me up.
"I didn't have enough time to think. I kept picturing what happened to Timothy when I saw that monster with the kid," Leon muttered, his shoulders shaking. "I couldn't think. I could've died. All of those people could've died."
I scowled at the young man in front of me, feeling like I was watching a younger version of myself. I slowly inched towards Leon, stretching my arms out and waiting for protest.
Instead, he ran into my chest and I hugged him close.
"You're a brave and stupid guy, Leon," I muttered as he cried silently into my chest.
It was one of those little details guilds never liked to share about being an adventurer. The loss, the nightmares and the irreversible damage it did to your mind.
Leon was young. He could've very easily left the whole thing altogether and gone back home to his father and little sister in one whole piece.
But I didn't think he was going to. Most adventurers like Leon couldn't return back to being civilians, their pasts always coming back to get them in some way.
It was hard, quitting. Not because of the pay or the glory or any of those benefits.
That damned rush. That intense adrenaline one felt when they were facing monsters beyond human comprehension. It was a drug like no other.
So I didn't suggest he quit. If he wanted to, he would, and again, that was not up to me.
I was just glad that this hadn't been the end of his road.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," he said with a sniffle as he took a step back, wiping his face. He put his hands on his hips as he took a deep breath and let it out. "Fuck me. I needed that. You still give the best hugs, Di."
"Arms are open anytime," I said with a chuckle, now mostly sober again. I cursed my high tolerance.
"Enough sad shit," the boy said, a teasing smirk on his face. "Who the fuck is that and how the hell did you even meet him?"
I knew he was talking about Marcy.
I turned my head to look at the man out of habit, feeling my expression soften when I saw him dancing with little Helena.
"You fancy him, don't ya?"
"Leon. Shut the fuck up," I said as I ran a hand down my face with a sigh. "I got turned down, don't bring it up."
"You?"
"I."
"YOU?!"
"I."
"…Wow. That's a first," Leon said with a low whistle. "Even guys only into women question themselves around you."
I chuckled at his words. "You're trying to cheer me up."
"I'm serious! Darren, right." Leon moved to rest his arm on my shoulder, making me bend down a little. "You know he's only ever shown any interest in women his entire life."
"Yeah. Keeping them is his problem. How many ex-wives is he on now?"
"Four, but not my point. He's the same guy that saw you in them swimming shorts and admitted he'd at least try it with ya."
That made me grimace, not exactly wanting to imagine myself with a bonehead like Darren. The man was all muscle and no brain.
"Doesn't he hate me?"
"Hate fucks are the best."
I smacked him in the back of his head for that. "Just what are they teaching you kids these days?"
"I'm 20!"
"Cute," I joked as I ruffled his hair again. "C'mon. My buzz is dying and you haven't had a jug all night! If I win, you owe me ten gold pieces!"
"You want me to drink with you?! Di, I almost died! Are you trying to actually kill me?! Let go!"
I wrapped my arm around Leon's neck and dragged him back to the celebration, ignoring his protests.
I looked back to where I last saw Marcellus and he was back in his seat, laid out there with his shirt now open as he wiped a bit of sweat from his neck.
He was staring at me. For the first time since we'd sat down, he was looking at me. I felt so pathetic feeling elated that I finally had his attention again.
Our brief eye contact was interrupted. By Caterina who had appeared in front of me and Leon.
"Sorry for leaving for so long," she apologized, twirling a piece of her long hair. "Mum needed help getting ready for bed…Am I interrupting?"
Before I could've said anything, Leon answered for me.
"Nope!" he said as he got out of my grip, walking backwards away from them. "He's all yours." He even winked at me.
"Uhm so." I turned to face the girl again, her tanned cheeks an interesting shade of red as she fidgeted on the spot. "I was wondering if you would like to come with me somewhere quiet. I want to show more of my gratitude."
She took a step closer and I knew what she was suggesting. Her dress was a lower than before, her large cleavage more revealed and I couldn't stop my eyes from looking down at them for a second.
But she'd noticed and her smile became more flirtatious as she inched closer, wrapping her arms over my shoulders, her chest pressed into mine.
"Oh," I muttered.
I was going to reject the offer, not at all the type to accept sexual gratitude just for saving someone. It felt like exploiting the situation.
I was stopped by catching a glimpse of Marcellus basically leaving the square and rushing towards the houses further up. It looked like he was returning to the guest house in a hurry.
Is he okay? Did being hit with so many rocks actually affect him? He looked fine before though.
"Sorry, sorry." I gently removed her arms from my shoulders. "You have shown me plenty of gratitude. Excuse me, I need to check in my friend. He might still be hurt."
I didn't really wait for her reply as I ran for the guest house.
I might have had a lot of conflicting thoughts about Marcellus but I still worried about him.