Drinks

[This piece is incomplete, but the ideas are there :)]

The Drunken Mercenary was as bustling as ever in the middle of the week, which was to say that it was dead. Only three tables had anyone on them. It was no surprise that it was so quiet. Today was considered a holy day for most people in Ashenport. So instead of being in the pub, they were at one of the temples. 

Those who were in Mercy’s would simply be described as lowlifes. Thieves and thugs that didn’t adhere to the divine gods. Those that had an interest in anything most would consider unholy. Of course, that was subjective. What was unholy to one could have been a sign of devotion for another. But just because it was subjective didn’t mean the unholy could even step foot in the temples at the best of times.

Which was exactly why Merrin was at Mercy’s – that and because Danny wanted him there. They sat at a round table in the furthest corner from the bar. It was sticky, splintered, and one of the benches was broken. But it was the only one furthest away from everyone that meant they didn’t need to worry. It wasn’t that they were particularly worried about the market swindler or the guy who pretended to be a gate guard. No, they were fine. It was the bar staff themselves that were the problem. 

Madame Nilveru ran The Drunken Mercenary with more [] than Drax captained the guards. It wasn’t like she was going to tell anyone their plan, but everyone, Merrin included, much preferred it if she stayed out of whatever conversation they were having. 

Maybe it went back to their teenage years when she was the only adult who had a say in anything any of them did. But of course, Zane had been right when Merrin had complained about her overbearing nature. If they wanted secrecy or even a semblance of privacy, maybe they should’ve chosen somewhere that wasn’t literally owned by Danny’s mum.

‘Evening boys,’ Madame Nilveru said cheerily, placing down a tray of drinks before looking around the table again. She looked at Merrin and asked: ‘Where’s your lady?’

‘Still at work,’ Merrin said, ignoring any implications she was trying to make. ‘But she’ll be here soon.’

‘I’m glad to hear. Now what will you be up to then this evening? Any fun plots or schemes?’

Danny rolled his eyes, burying his head in his hands. ‘Ma, I told you about this. They’re supposed to be secret.’

‘And I told you there are no secrets under this roof, Dantae,’ she said and curled a smile across her lips. 

Danny knew better than to argue, especially when he knew that Merrin found it more amusing to side with his mum than with him. Instead, Danny sighed.

‘Yes, ma.’ 

*Merrin and friends are in the kitchen talking. The topic of sex comes up and Zane walks in*

‘You a virgin? D’you even know what sex is?’ Danny said, turning his whole body towards where Zane stood by the pantry.

‘Dantae!’ Orlia hissed as Matty failed at hiding a laugh.

‘Just asking! Do you?’ Danny shrugged off Orlia’s warning glare and moved so he was just out of Merrin’s reach.

‘Yes I know what sex is,’ Zane said, his glare dark enough that for a moment Merrin thought Danny was going to disintegrate.

‘So, still a virgin?’ Danny said through the smile plastered on his face. 

Zane was quick to throw whatever was within his reach, but Merrin was quicker. Before the wooden spoon had even left his hand, Merrin had kicked Danny’s chair hard enough to topple. The spoon flew over where Danny was in a heap on the floor and clattered against the counter. 

‘Fuck,’ Matty barely managed to say as he laughed. 

Zane took one look at where Danny was complaining on the floor before grabbing whatever food he’d come downstairs for and disappearing back up the stairs to his room, muttering to himself as he left. Merrin knew going after him wouldn’t help the situation any, if anything it would just make it worse. What had just started as Danny being a twat would very easily become an argument between the twins, and Merrin didn’t want to even think about that.

*later when everyone leaves*

A knock on Merrin’s door dragged his attention away from the sketch he was working on.

‘Yeah,’ he said loud enough for Zane to hear.

The door creaked open and Zane stepped in. He moved the curtain that Merrin had hung over his bed frame and climbed onto the mattress opposite Merrin. He looked like a stray animal trying its best to ignore the presence of anything else in hopes that it could be alone. He avoided Merrin’s questioning look, instead looking out the window behind Merrin. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Merrin waiting for Zane to make the first move. When he did, Merrin regretted letting him go first.

‘Sorr-’

‘Don’t apologise,’ Merrin cut him off. At Zane’s flinch, he pushed himself further away from Zane, giving him as much physical space as possible. ‘Danny was being a cunt, he deserved it. I’m not mad at you, I don’t care if he is, his opinion doesn’t matter. He overstepped, and got what was coming. Orlia warned him, but he didn’t listen. Okay?’

Zane nodded meekly. ‘Okay.’ His voice was barely a whisper, but he seemed to relax at Merrin’s words. 

‘Anything else? Or did you just come down here to apologise?’ 

Zane’s face twisted in silent contemplation. It was a normal look for him, Merrin supposed all the words in his head were fighting with his ability to actually ask the question he had. Merrin didn’t rush him, instead, he picked up his charcoal again and continued to sketch designs for the stained glass windows for Orlia’s new house. 

He’d finished three loose designs by the time the words in Zane’s head had arranged themselves into a coherent sentence.

‘What is sex?’

Merrin stopped drawing. 

He looked up at Zane’s curious stare and realised that this conversation was about to go downhill faster than he could’ve imagined.

[to be continued]