101 - Bitter Drinks

It didn’t take long for Rowena to learn how to properly drink beer.

“Once you get used to the taste, it’s actually a lot weaker than wine.” She mused, sipping from her mug without a single grimace, savouring it with grace.

“Well, I’m glad to see Miss Noble is partaking in the pleasures of us common folk.” Finn taunted, and earned a glare. He deliberately drank as messily as he could, rivulets of gold running from the corners of his mouth down his chin.

He wiped it off with the back of his hand, and shook it dry in Rowena’s direction.

Theo was sure that if they weren’t in a crowded bar, Rowena would have encased in him ice already. Theo was also sure that Finn was counting on that, looking at the shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

“But there’s being used to beer, and then there’s knowing how to drink it properly.” Finn stared deeply into her eyes, and she didn’t back down from his gaze.

And with that, a war was declared.

“Do you have anything for flushing booze out of a system?” Drew asked Francis. Theo was glad to see Francis was opening up and starting to talk to people besides just him.

A crowd started to form around Finn and Rowena, as they prepared to see who could out-drink the other.

“Yes, I know a few. Although, there are just as many if not more ways to increase intoxication.” Francis supplied. Drew nodded thoughtfully, as they watched Finn and Rowena start downing drinks.

Well, Rowena was trying to maintain some decorum.

She gave up on that after the first uncontrollable burp.

“I’m glad we’re not like that.” Theo mused, turning his head to face Jenny.

“Hmm?” Her eyes were also transfixed on the sight in front of them. They were going at a pretty similar pace so far.

“Like, fighting and getting on each other’s nerves on purpose. I don’t know how Rowena deals with him.” Theo took a sip from his own drink.

“It keeps things…interesting, right? If she didn’t enjoy this, she would have told him to stop, or murdered him. One of the two.” Jenny paused, floundering with her own drink halfway to her lips. “N-not that I want that kind of interesting. I like how we do things! It’s just a different dynamic.”

“Well I’m glad that nobody has murdered anyone.” Theo added an internal caveat of ‘people I know’, trying to not think about what happened in The Woods.

“I like how we do things too.” It surprised him how genuine that statement was for him. Not because of the exact nature of the activities they did, but because of how they went in and had a great time goofing around and playing off one another.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

Which, now that he thought about it, made him understand Finn and Rowena a little more.

Speaking of which, the table between them was covered in empty mugs barely separated by an invisible line. Both of them had red cheeks, although if that was from the alcohol or sheer embarrassment on Rowena’s part was yet to be seen.

They watched them drink long enough to finish a stein, before Jenny broke the reverie.

“Hey,” Jenny began, unsure of herself for once, “I’ve been thinking things through since therapy. And I want to move on from feeling paralysed. I don’t want to be afraid and re-live that moment anymore.” Her voice gained momentum and conviction as she went, until she sounded confident. “I want to make new memories, fun moments that I can look back on instead of being hung up on what happened.”

She paused for a moment, before continuing. “Would you like to come hang out with my friends?” While she sounded confident, Theo detected a wavering undertone of fear. It could have been insecurity, or the usual uncertainty of a new relationship, or any number of things, but he just wanted to wrap her in a hug and reassure her.

As if he would ever say no.

“Of course! I’d love to meet them.” Theo smiled, and Jenny smiled back, and that just made him smile even wider. His eyes flitted over to Finn and Rowena, who had both slowed significantly on the drinks, but still stared at each other with fire in their eyes. “I knew therapy was good.”

“Yeah.” Jenny agreed.

“Hear that, Sean?” Theo turned around and called out.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, let me drink in peace.” Sean grumbled into a beer.

Jenny jumped, as she realised that the person on the other side of Theo was actually their therapist.

Sean sighed, massaging his temples as he turned to her. “I’m glad to hear that. You’re being proactive and trying to move on. The feelings are valid and uncomfortable, but you’re trying and that’s what’s important.” He finished with a smile.

“You, however.” The smile disappeared as Sean shifted his focused to Theo. “I’m not going to tell you to not take your friends to where I like to spend my off hours. But at the very least, please don’t draw attention to the fact their therapist is here. This is not the time nor place for anything serious.”

As he said that, Rowena and Finn seemingly gave up on the drinking contest entirely, instead preferring to stare into each other’s eyes. Chants of “chug, chug, chug!” were traded for “kiss, kiss, kiss!” and soon the crowd got their wishes.

The Pub was filled with hooting and hollering, as they started to make out over the table between then, before sweeping the empty mugs off its surface to make out directly on the table.

It didn’t take long for Alan to dump a bucket of water over their heads and grab them by the ears, dragging them out the door. “Cool down in the outside air. Or kiss until you’re done. Either way, don’t make a mess of my pub, and don’t sweep mugs onto the floor.” Alan closed the door forcefully, and it rocked on its squeaky hinges.

Theo had to agree with Sean.

---

“So why are most therapists warriors?” It was a few hours on from when they entered. Francis had sobered Finn and Rowena up (and immediately found lots of new friends), and the two of them were sipping at their drinks at a more reasonable pace, holding hands and maintaining eye contact.

Sean grimaced, and mulled over how to best answer Theo’s question. “Old bards can still perform, and teach their skills to more than just people looking to become bards. Old wizards have all their knowledge and can work on runes. Old priests just continue being priests. But old warriors like me? All we have are bodies that grow weaker regardless of the mana inside, so unless we want to train warriors this is the only thing we can really do. So plan things out, save your coin, and retire early.” That last sentence was aimed at Jenny, whose head now rested on Theo’s shoulder.

Theo took a sip of his beer as he processed that.

It was more bitter than the last.