"I don't give a fuck." Shadow smells like booze.
"Oh?" Rouge says, as she continues to sip her beer.
"Damn straight."
He picks up a whiskey, putting it to his lips. He finds it empty. "The fuck, Rouge?"
"Don't look at me, sweetheart."
He stares at his bottle. "...That's right."
"Mmhmm."
"What was I talking about?"
"You not giving a fuck."
"Damn straight," Shadow slams the bottle on the table, "I'm tired of this bullshit."
"Hey, don't break the glass." Her hand reaches for the bottle, causing him to hold it closer to his chest. "Or else you are going to find the broom."
Slam. "Bullshit."
Rouge leans back in her chair. "I'm serious."
Slam. It's a satisfying sound. "You don't understand."
"Breaking a bottle does seem excessive."
The bottle shatters, tiny pieces spreading over the table and carpet below.
"You don't understand," Shadow's eyes burn into her.
"What is the problem?" She downs her beer. She needs to be wasted to deal with this.
"First off, the fact I am out of booze."
"If I hand you a beer, will you calm down?"
"If I take your beer, will I shut the fuck up?"
Rouge grabs two beers, the last of the case. She hands one to him.
"Yes, I will." His shaky hands crack open the can, spilling some of the contents on him. He doesn't seem to notice as he downs the beer.
He stands up, and using the wall for balance, he walks.
"Where are you going?" Rouge says.
"I'm going to be a good boy and find the broom."
"It's in the kitchen, up against the fridge."
He sure knows how to make a racket. Rouge thinks about helping him. Though, if he cracked his head open, he wouldn't be making a racket.
He comes back with the broom.
"You didn't break anything else, did you?"
He drops the dustpan onto the floor. "Your precious property is perfectly safe."
"Good," She takes a sip, "You don't have enough money to pay for anything in this house."
He gives that over exaggerated laugh drunk people have. "That's funny," He laughs harder. "You are right."
His eyes make contact with the beer can. The broom falls out of his hand, forgetting he had it in the first place.
He reaches for the beer can, puts it to his lips. "The fuck, I needed that."
"Trust me, handsome, you don't need anymore."
"I need it." His eyes are similar to a caged animal.
Her heart is pounding. "Don't start..."
"I am empty-"
"Shadow-"
"I'm trying to fill myself-"
"I don't think-"
"But no matter what I put into me-"
"I can't-
"I am never whole-"
"Please-"
"But I keep trying, because there is nothing else to do-"
"This isn't the time-"
Bam. His fist is throbbing. "Goddamnit, Rouge! I am trying to talk to you."
Her hands are shaking. "I don't know what to say."
"I don't know what to say, either." He is a trapped beast, isn't he? "Hand me a beer."
She contemplates for a long moment. In the end, she passes her half finished beer to him.
It fits perfectly in his hand.