[F29 - PP] On the House (2x Speed)

[Lessa 1]

The weight of the world dragged at Lessa's shoulders, and she worried she might collapse beneath the addition of Jomei's hands. Instead, she managed to draw in a long breath, and then she forced herself to meet his gaze. But the warmth she found there, and the pure, unadulterated compassion, nearly broke her. So she busied herself with counting the raindrops studding his eyelashes like tiny gemstones. When he smiled, she offered only a tight-lipped response, as if showing her teeth might be the final crack in the dam that held back... what, exactly? Tears? Grief? Longing? A colorful array of expletives, highlighting all the places the game designers could shove their little Lovecraftian horrors? Nothing good could come from breaking.

Yet as they unloaded the cargo in silence, the only sound between the uncomfortable squelching of waterlogged gear, she found herself ruminating. Jomei wasn't the first to give her this talk, encouraging her to lighten her load, and let someone else take over for a while. Hell, even before Aincrad, Alyssa had struggled with taking on more than her fair share. But Alyssa had never unloaded barrels of alcohol in a haunted bar, soaking wet, only hours after fighting waves of horrific monsters and a rabid bear. Alyssa had never been forced to raise a sword in defense of the ones she loved, and the life she left behind.

Alyssa had never met Jomei.

The window populating in front of her face tore Lessa back to the present. "Oh," she muttered dumbly, reading over the words before glancing toward the bar, then Jomei. "Uh, yeah, no, definitely not a good idea." 

Despite her words, some unseen force tugged her gently toward the battered bar-top, not unlike how she’d been drawn back to H.P.’s at the beginning of the quest. Her movement’s mirrored Jomei’s, her cold, damp fingers closing around the glass. There was dirt on the glass, but she noted the issue in the same way she felt the dentist’s drill while on nitrous oxide - it was concerning, but not especially urgent. Even thoughts of Jomei, which had buried themselves deep, fled as she lifted the rim to her lips. She caught the faintest whiff of cinnamon, then downed the entire thing.

Then loosed a loud, barking cough, slapping the glass down before pounding her own chest with a closed fist. “Jesus,” she drawled, shaking her head. “That was strong. Good, but strong.” She studied her empty cup for a beat, then added, “Tastes just like skiing with my family. My mom had these ski poles, and you could unscrew the handles, and fill them with alcohol. She always went with Fireball. That was whiskey, and this is definitely vodka, but the cinnamon is the same.” Lessa pursed her lips, then slanted Jomei a look. “And so is the kick.”

When she turned her attention back to the bar, surprise had her nearly toppling off her barstool. Amber liquid once more filled the glass, abnormally bright in the room’s dim lighting. “Speedy service,” she quipped, even as she found herself leaning slightly closer to her companion.

By the time she finished her second round of cinnamon vodka, her shoulder was pressed flush against his. “You know,” she began suddenly, “what you said earlier? About me taking a break, and cutting myself some slack? You are nooooooot the first person to tell me to do that.” Did she put unnecessary emphasis on the word ‘not?’ That was an odd choice. “But I think you might be the first person I actually listen to.”

243699 | CD: 11

[Jomei 0]

A laugh bubbled up within Jomei, snorting as he tried to keep the wine from spewing. Despite the exhaustion, the stress, and everything else this day threw at them, he still managed to genuinely laugh. Was the alcohol already masking the pain, so to speak, or was it the comfort of the company he kept. Both? Both. Wiping a small drop of drink from the corner of his lip, he looked to Lessa.

“Sounds I need to go skiing with your family sometime.” he responded with a smile. “Though, I’ve never skiied in my life, probably not wise to do it while drinking.” 
Shifting his weight, he turned slightly to face Lessa. Diving into the second drink that had refilled in front of him without question, he would return the glass to the bartop. “Whats with moms and finding creative ways to sneak liquor. My mom and her friends used to wash out shampoo bottles to sneak drinks on trips when they were younger. Definitely still tasted like soap.” He would laugh again, this time making no attempt to stifle it.
“Well if you wanted to drink something a little smoother, this-“ before Jomei could even offer some of his plum wine to Lessa, she can thrown back a second helping of the cinnamon vodka. Turning even more in his spot to completely face Lessa, his eyes widened in utter surprise. “Well, damn.” he finally spat out, “Can’t let you drink me under the table like that.” The rim of his glass was already touching his bottom lip, and all he needed was a tilt to finish off the rest of his drink. 

“Oh, I’m sure I’m not.” Jomei responded, when Lessa claimed he wasn’t the first to say shes taking on too much. His voice softened as her shoulder rested against his, and it took all of his waning self control to not rest his head atop hers. “And what makes me so special that you’ll listen to me?” he would remark with a chuckle. “Because there’s one thing you’ll learn about me, it’s that I am terrible at following my own advice. So I couldn’t even tell you if it’s good advice or not.”

[Lessa 1]

Though no music played, and the bar was missing the trademark hum of other patrons talking, the steady drumming of the rain had provided a soundtrack of sorts. Their gentle back-and-forth, hazy at the edges with the help of the alcohol, also blanketed H.P.'s in a serene stillness at odds with the horrors they'd experienced all day. It was comforting, a tiny oasis in a barren wasteland. Of course, Lessa shattered that stillness as she slammed her glass atop the bar with a crack reminiscent of gunfire.

"Are you kidding me?" she howled, swiveling on her stool so that she faced him. Without warning, she grabbed him by the shoulders, whipping him around so that he mirrored her position. Slotting her knees between his, she leaned forward, giving his upper body a shake with each word she repeated. "Are. You. Kidding. Me." By the time the last syllable her lips, they were only inches from his. She marveled, for just a heartbeat, at the way that plum wine and cinnamon vodka tasted as they mingled in the space between them. 

Her eyes found his, and when she didn't find laughter there, some of the fire drained from her. "Are you kidding me?" she asked a third time, her voice a mere whisper. Her grip on his arms loosened, but her hands remained there, because in that moment, she needed that physical tie to him. Emotion swamped her, tears pressing on the back of her eyes, and settling like a weight on her chest. She drew a shaky breath, an unsuccessful attempt to collect herself before she barreled forward. "Jomei, what do you mean, what makes you so special? You already know how special you are."

Her eyes narrowed, growing watery even as she appraised him. "You're the sweetest, and the bravest, and the funniest, and you're the person I trust the most. You're so good under pressure. You always know what to do. And you're always here for me. I don't always deserve it, or you, but you're still here, picking me up. You've always been here. You've never left me. You're more special to me than anyone else." Her thumbs were stroking nervous circles into his wet clothes, but she hardly noticed as the words spilled from her lips like beer from a tap. Was it the alcohol? Surely she would have told him all of this, even if she'd been sober.

"And you look so good in green."

Okay, no, maybe she was just drunk.

That didn't mean she didn't mean it.

[Jomei 0]

"Are you kidding me?

Was Lessa repeating herself, or did the wine hit his system faster than he was used to? Since when had he become such a lightweight. It took a short moment for the room to stop spinning after she had shaken him up like a soda can to get her point across... 

..what was her point again? He was a bit distracted when tavern returned to its rightful state, though the space between Lessa and himself had definitely gotten smaller. Much smaller. 

The breath he had planned to exhale caught within his lungs as he caught her gaze, diving head first into the cerulean pools of her eyes. They shimmered slightly in the dull lantern light as tiny tears welled, threatening to spill over and roll down her cheeks. The grip on his arms softened, and the moment become much more tender within an instant. There was something there, like a flame burning between them in the little distance between them, threatening to engulf the two and consume them. 

His fingers dug into the saturated cloth of his pants, fighting every urge to reach out and caress her the soft skin of her cheeks with his thumbs, wipe away the tears that had yet to fall. Before he knew it, he was studying the features of her face as she spoke. Though he listened to her speak, olive orbs bounced back and forth between her eyes and her lips. Watching her speak felt like watching silk unravel: smooth, intimate, and almost too personal to watch. But her words were meant for him, and him alone, so he couldn't pull away. 

What if he just kissed her, right now? 

Heavy lids blinked, shying away the though almost immediately. They were friends.. these were encouraging words from one friend to another. They had been through a lot together and, yes Jomei wanted that, more than anything, but.. he couldn't be so certain that she did. And the last thing he wanted was to ruin their friendship because of his feelings. 

"Really?" he laughed a breathy chuckle, "I've been thinking of trying out some yellow, maybe purple." he would smirk to let her know he was joking. 

"I feel like, we've got this bond, you know?" did he even realize he was drinking another drink as he spoke. "Allll the way back when we first met.. doing that bandit quest.. I just felt like I could be myself around you. And every time after, it just felt as if no time had passed, and we just worked on that bond." Shoulders rose with a shrug, "I dunno, maybe I'm just rambling on.. but I said it before and I'll say it again. I care about you. You can take that as you will but.." he would cut his sentence short with another sip of his drink. "Its the truth. And has been for awhile now. So I'm going to continue to be there for you, come running when you find some cool new place to explore, pick you up when you're down. And if that makes me special, then, I guess I'll continue to be special." 

[Lessa 1]

"I feel like, we've got this bond, you know?"

She leaned forward on her barstool, his words a rope that tugged her closer. He felt that he could be himself around her? And he had since they'd first met? She felt the same way. As he continued to speak, she continued to shift closer, her eyes on his lips that dropped words like bombs, shaking her all the way to her foundation. Had they both been sitting on these truths all this time? How different might their lives have been if they'd just shared how they felt, all those months ago? It would have saved her from a lot of heartbreak, and a lot of complicated feelings where Jomei was concerned. Not to mention, she would have avoided a lot of lonely nights if she'd known he could have kept her company. If she'd just told him how she felt, in his studio, or on the airship, or in the grove. If she'd told him she loved him.

So why wait a second longer?

She was nearly in his lap now, a hand on his leg to steady herself as her face hovered inches from his. It wouldn't take much for him to close the distance and find her lips with his. Maybe he would, once she told him how she felt.

"Jom, I-"

"I care about you."

The words died on her tongue, horror suddenly weighing her down more thoroughly than her wet clothes. Cares. He cares. About me. Not love. Not romance. Not a relationship, or a future, or a declaration. Just care.

The tears finally spilled over, streaking down her already damp cheeks as she turned away from him. They warmed beneath his stare, and the words she swore he left unsaid. I care about you... as a friend. Had she not used that same phrase to soften the blow when her brothers' friends had asked her out? It stung a whole lot worse while on the receiving end.

A small sob bubbled around the lump in her throat, but she covered it with a cough, and took swig of her whiskey. It burned on the way down, and she closed her eyes as cinnamon assaulted her senses. When she opened them again, they still glistened with tears, but they were hardened by a new kind of resolve. What the hell did she have to cry about? She had an amazing man willing to adventure with her, and give her a pep talk when she was feeling down. And she was disappointed by that? There were people who would kill for a friendship like the one she had with Jomei, and she was slipping into mourning. What was wrong with her?

She drained her cup, then bumped her shoulder against his. "Of course it makes you special," she murmured through a tight-lipped smile. "You're the best friend I have."

And after a day filled with miraculous things, the most miraculous was delivering the words without crying again.

[Jomei 0]

Had he even registered that look in Lessa's eyes as the already miniscule space between them became mere inches... This story would have ended much differently. Instead the oblivious, intoxicated ginger continued to ramble on about how he felt about her. He stumbled over his words as the wavering bit of sobriety within him fought with his wine drunk mind to not drop any emotional bombs on her. They both had a long day, and the last thing he wanted was to make the mistake of pushing her away by telling her how he really, truly felt about her. 

"Of course it makes you special, you're the best friend I have."

He would return the smile with a small nod, before emptying the contents of his own glass once more to drown out that sting. Best friend, right.. his mind repeated over and over like some broken record. 

Probably for the best that he didn't tell her how grateful he was for her, how much he adored and cherished her.

How he was very much in love with her...

***
"Ugh." his voice muffled by the pillow his face rested on. As he slowly rolled over and sat up, he came to the sudden realization that he was not in his room. He wasn't even entirely sure this was the 28th Floor, but at least not on the 29th. Looking around, he made the quick assumption that he had slept in some inn.. at least he had enough common sense left in him to do that. There was no hangover, at least no pain associated with it. His stomach still churned and growled, begging for food.. the smell of something cooking in the kitchen below didn't help either. 

As he thought back for a moment on the events of the night before.. he realized that he couldn't actually think on those events. He remembered doing the quest, getting to the ship and back, having a drink with Lessa and - He instinctually looked to his side.. no other body rested in the bed aside from him. He exhaled a sigh of relief, though a part of him wished he hadn't slept alone. 

But they were only friends after all, best friends, he shouldn't get his hopes up for something like that..

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