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"S-stop manhandlin' me, ya jerk off! I can walk, mmmk." Preacher yanked her hand from his and sat down heavily, nearly missing the chair. The table shook as she grabbed it to steady herself causing some of her precious ale to slosh over the rim of her mug and onto her bare toes. Preacher squeaked briefly in dismay and wiggled her toes. What a sad waste, she thought blearily. It felt like her mind was running at about half-speed. Suddenly, she felt a wave of fatigue pass over her, but she shook it off viciously. No! She had a contest to win! It didn't matter that Axel outweighed her by, well, a lot, she was determined not to give up.

She peered across the tavern at Alec and now, Henrik, desperately trying to ignore the heat that seemed to emanate from Axel's body. D-did Henrik wink at her? But why? Whatever, it seemed like he was busy chatting up Alec, probably wanting his piece of the 'make a man out of Alec' plan. "Thought you was after Curry's a**, but seems like Henrik on it too, huh. Boy's got that weirdest luck," she murmured drunkenly. As long as Axel wasn't ploughing that, she didn't care as much. Preacher breathed a gusty sigh of relief. She wasn't exactly sure how Henrik or Maisy or anybody else was better; they just were.

"Whatcha waitin' for? Drink!" She leveled a hard stare at him and his ale mug. In a flash, Preacher chugged her own ale. Oh, walls, bad idea. The tavern spun dizzily around her, but she still grinned wolfishly, eyes crinkling at the corners. "Another!"

Alec had been examining the mug in his hand considerately when he heard his name. Blinking, he tilted his head to one side looking up at the bigger darker haired man and squinted at him a little bit.

"Hm..?" He answered, having been brought out his quiet musing. The sing song tone made him chuckle. As Henrik asked him for information, and glancing over at the pair in question who were together, Alec leaned in whispering drunkenly. "They really need to get along better so I ain't trying to get 'n there business -- 's kinda silly how they fight dontchya think? 'sides Preacher said he'd be back, but I dunno. they are doin' a drinkin' game and I dunt wanna puke..." He nodded sagely, as if that was a perfectly good reason.

If he was bothered by how close the other was he didn't argue, nor complain. "Hey, Henrik." He frowned, scrunching his brow up a bit. Maisy had said which way to the bathroom, and he'd already forgotten. The sign at the back of the room wasn't very helpful, nor was the fact it was down the hall, and past the main noise of the bar. It wasn't obvious unless you'd been to the Cuckold a few times.

"Didn't you just come from the restroom? Which way was it?" He questioned, straightening himself up as he pitched forward a bit no thanks to the bar stool beside him (not even sitting in it this time). Didn't he already ask some one that? Walls. He didn't need some one to hold his hand or anything, but he was defiantly not confident on his own two feet, nor trusting of any wayward Maisy directions. Even being told which direction would do he didn't really mind. Waiting only to hear from the other what he'd asked before attempting to venture off.

Alec cast a glance back over at Preacher and Axel. He wasn't sure if the laughter coming from his was well met, or disastrous. Alec would just have to trust in his friends..that seemed dangerous for some reason. "Ah I just hope they get over all the miss understandings. I think I might try 'n figure out which way is home after this eh?" He muttered quietly a bit at a loss for words. Not that he felt put out, more like he wanted to pass out. Not standing preferably, that would be dumb.

Preacher vaguely frowned at Axel's laughter. How rude. She would magnanimously let it slide, though. "Still think yer gay..." she mumbled rebelliously. The alcohol made her feel silly.... and sleepy. Perhaps it was because she wasn't paying that she drank so much... or perhaps it was the fault of approximately one fourth of their group: one Axel Halle. He was, in a few words, the bane of her existence, her nemesis, the one man that brought her to violence every time. He sat next to her now, having dragged her over to this secluded table, very much as drunk as she. (Although she couldn't gauge his drunkenness properly; she was trying very hard not to look at him.) Nevertheless, she found her gaze sliding over to him of its own volition and she was unable to suppress the small jolts of satisfaction that raced through her every time she saw her bite marks from the bonfire night on his pale skin.

As much as she hated him, he was also really warm looking. The dim corner Axel had pulled them to was a bit chilly. Odd, considering the amount of bodies packed into the tavern. It was as though they sat in an entirely different world. Maisy swerved between table deftly and a rough hand reached up to pinch her pert bottom. She yelped and good-naturedly batted the hand away. Well, Preacher thought, Maisy was one way to make a 'man' out of Alec. The redheaded boy seemed preoccupied with his drink at the bar's counter, though, and Preacher felt her head nod forward, hat slipping to the counter. Waves of dark blue hair tumbled down her back and she made a small, irritated noise. She was drunk, she was in the middle of a drinking game with stick-in-the-mud, but suddenly, all Preacher wanted to do was curl up somewhere warm. Putting her hands up to fix her hair, she wobbled drunkenly and thunked into Axel with a small 'oof'.

There was only one way for the night to go from here.... down. Oh dear.

Henrik didn't bother alerting Axel or Preacher that he and Alec were leaving. The two seemed engrossed in one another, and Henrik couldn't stop grinning like a damn fool when he and Alec staggered out of the bar. The cool air felt good against his alcohol-flushed skin, and he paused for a moment before falling into place beside Alec, adjusting his longer stride to match better with the redhead's shorter one.

"I have not had so much to drink in a long time," Henrik slurred softly, slinging his arm around Alec's shoulders so that he could draw him in against his side - for support, Henrik told himself, and not for any other reason. It certainly wasn't because Alec's pale skin seemed to glow beneath the light of the full moon.

s**t, maybe he was a creeper. Henrik immediately reigned his thoughts in - they were friends, and nothing more - he couldn't help it that he got all sappy and romantical-like when he drank. He'd always been this way, and this was nothing new for the large man.

"Drink lot'sa water," Henrik advised sternly, "or you will not want to get out of bed in the morning, or the morning after."

He stopped midstep as if to realign his feet (the world was shifting madly out of control) and once he was certain that he could remain upright he gave Alec a rather offended look.

"Of course I am going to make it," Henrik boasted, almost tripping. "I can carry you if you are going to pass out."

There was something oddly satisfying about reaching their destination, and in Henrik's drink-addled mind it actually felt like he'd accomplished some mighty task that could be considered boast-worthy. Yes, of course they'd made it. Henrik had never harbored a lick of doubt in his mind, and he stood in front of Alec's home with a pleased smile on his face and his arms held loosely to his side, and suddenly Alec was hugging him and he really didn't know how to react.

So he just stood there for a heartbeat.

And another.

Something shifted in his chest, and it felt like there was a little less room where his heart beat solidly against his ribs. It wasn't uncomfortable, not in the least. It felt almost as if a little piece of him had been slightly askew, and when the redhead hugged him it slipped back into place. Like everything was right where it was meant to be.

Then again, he was completely sloshed, and so maybe - just maybe - he was waxing a little more poetic than he otherwise might. In his head at least. Henrik hoped he hadn't said anything out loud. He did, however, wrap his arms around Alec a little awkwardly in a tight hug, lifting the smaller young man up in his arms. The bear hug was tight, and Henrik very nearly lost his balance before deciding he ought to put Alec back on his own feet.

"You are welcome," Henrik rested his palms on Alec's shoulders, his expression soft as he smiled. Very carefully, he turned Alec around so that the redhead was facing his home. "I will see you again, Alec." He gave a little nudge to urge the redhead onward. "Have a good night."